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Stranger [Remix'd]

from Lifer: Greatest Hits by Mark Weir

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about

Shift began in a frenetic fashion as a three-piece, jazz-rock instrumental group. They began to settle down and look to add more songs to their set and expand into a 5-piece. After adding a bassist and singer, one of earliest new pieces of music was this track, Mark's "Stranger" written intentionally as a pop-rock/ballad type number.

The song went through several subtle changes over the years as the band grew and the production sharpened, although Mark was never fully happy with the beginning of this more polished version of the song, produced by Mark Gibson, who had worked on the Fur Patrol album "Pet". This remix, however, brings in the early demo versions of the track so as to get the intro to the song closer to what Mark originally wanted.

The song was, to my knowledge, written from various sources in Mark's life at the time, including a conversation he had with a chef that he worked with in Wellington's Istanbul restaurant. The chef showed mark a photo of his wife and, when asked by Mark what she was life, he explained he did not know her yet. The iconic first line came and the song was born.

lyrics

I've got a picture of a stranger in my pocket
Just in case I ever meet her - I'll know who is who
I know she's gonna be more beautiful in person
But then if I never meet her - what will I do?

I only know her from the outside
I know it's gonna be a strange ride
But if I never meet that picture of a stranger in my pocket
Who will?

I've got a ticket for a bus that's never leaving
Just in case I feel like staying - I'll know where to go
I've got a picture of my sister - God, I miss her
Yes, I still think about her twice a day or so

She's so close, but so far away
I think about her every other day
But if I never meet the picture of a stranger in my pocket
Who will?

credits

from Lifer: Greatest Hits, released April 5, 2017
Vocals by Ben Stevenson, backing vocals by Mark Weir, guitars by Kerry Logan, bass by SuperMike White and drums by Bobby Logan.

Written by Mark Weir. Produced by Mike Gibson and Shift.
Recorded at Marmalade Studio, Wellington in 2001 and released on the 2003 Shift album "Happens". The remixed portions come from the Demo version on the "Happens" album, and the version recorded on the 2002 album "A Shift of a Demo".

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The RockLords New Zealand

A collective of 13 bands and artists that all form one musical family, ranging from jam sessions in lounges and garages in 1993 to full scale studio recordings and all that's in-between. Always interesting, and often amazing, please enjoy the RockLords! ... more

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